Another photopass question...

[Dani4girls]

Hi everyone!! I am planning a trip for December with extended family. I thought the photopass would be great so that all of us could be in the pictures. But when I suggested this idea to other members of the family, their response was "you can give your camera to any photopass guy and he will take your picture." So, why are so many people paying $150 for photopass if this is the case? Any thoughts?

 

[Yellowstonetim]

You can hand them your camera, but it is good etiquette to also allow them to take some pics when you do. Most of these CMs are petty good at what they do and take great pics, often better than little point-and-shoot cameras. We did both last trip and ended up buying some pics that were better than ours. I felt better about the whole process and aI am willing to part with some money because they are nice enough to use your camera.

This next trip we decided to do the photo pass plus so we don't have to worry about a camera in the parks at all and we will get all the photos we want including ride photos!

 

[sam_gordon]

Hi everyone!! I am planning a trip for December with extended family. I thought the photopass would be great so that all of us could be in the pictures. But when I suggested this idea to other members of the family, their response was "you can give your camera to any photopass guy and he will take your picture." So, why are so many people paying $150 for photopass if this is the case? Any thoughts?

You can hand them your camera, but:
1) If you have been using manual settings on your camera, make sure you set them up before handing your camera over. I've run into photographers who will click the button, but not check any settings.
2) You'll lose the capability to get the 'special' shots (holding Tink or Simba, Stitch coming out of a manhole, etc).
3) I don't remember if you can upload your pictures to get access to the various boarders available.
4) If you have a child that participates in the Jedi Training, the PP photographers have better access than you will. If you don't have a good zoom on your camera, you'll definitely want what they take.
5) If you go to the water parks, there might be (depending on time of year) photographers there taking pictures too. I have a waterproof P&S, but I won't bring my DSLR to the water park.

Unless things have changed, you can order the photopass ahead of time (you used to get a discount if you ordered before your trip), and if you're not happy with how things turned out, you can get a refund. IMO, that's better than waiting until you see you want a picture they take after the fact and then needing to order.

 

[jmartinez1895]

if you hand them your camera they will take only one or two shots. When they are taking photos they( most anyway) tend to take a lot of shots and you end up with some great pics. My sons shoe fell off once when her was about 3. Cinderella took his shoe before I could get to it and put it back on him. Talk about a great pic. I would have never gotten that shot, but the photo pass guy knew what to do and snapped away. Also if you order photo pass plus you get your ride photos and restaurant photos ( if you have ADRS for a place that offers the photo package).
Most Cms are great about taking a pic if you want them to. We have asked Cms ( not busy ones) to snap a pic here and there and they where happy to do it. I have taken photos for other people who have asked, but I do not recommend giving your camera to a stranger.

 

[cobright]

Reason 1: Their gear is probably better than yours. Even if it isn't (they fawn over my Nikon) they will spend a little more time getting the perfect shot with their own rig.

Reason 2: Imagine my heartbreak when we unpacked and could not find the SD Card holding day 1-3's photos. A minor salve to this wound is that the photopass pics from these days were still waiting for me online.